Cheaper by the Dozen
by xtotaleclipseoftheheart
Summary: Finn and Rachel have twelve children. When Finn is called to coach a prestigious football team, the Ohio State Buckeyes, the family will have to face many problems while moving into their new home in Columbus, Ohio. [loosely based on the movie "Cheaper by the Dozen"]
1. A Very Hudson Morning

**As you may have guessed from the title, this story was inspired by the movie "Cheaper by the dozen," the 2003 version. I really love that movie and imagining Finn and Rachel with a lot of children so I decided to join the film and my favorite couple through this fanfiction. **  
**I really hope you enjoy it and I just want to say one last thing: English is not my native language so if there are any errors (incorrect spelling, verbs, etc...), please tell me! Your corrections can help me improve my English so I'd be really grateful :)**

* * *

"Mom, have you seen my clarinet?", Thomas asked while coming into the kitchen and opening the fridge. He was very hungry that morning.

"Don't eat, Tom! I mean, don't you see we're making breakfast?", Sarah sighed as she put up her brown hair in a high ponytail and continued to prepare sandwiches. Benjamin, who was beside her, nodded and walked away from his sister to put a knife in Thomas' hand. "Here, help us", he said and returned near to Sarah, his hockey helmet bouncing on his head.

"I want it with peanut butter!", Peter exclaimed as he entered with his skateboard in the kitchen. He left it by the door and went straight to the cupboard, taking out a pack of Cheerios. "We too!", the twins –Elizabeth and Alison - said in unison while they finished setting the table. Thirteen plates, forks and glasses, plus three packs of cereals and four cartons of milk.

Meanwhile the other two twins, Daniel and Noah, had emptied the whole dog food container on the floor attracting their mother's attention who had just entered the kitchen. "Daniel and Noah, look what you've done!", she scolded them and gave them a shovel to clean everything up. By now, with twelve children, she had learned to keep calm and was able to handle almost any situation, also thanks to her husband, Finn, who at that moment was cooking at least twenty pancakes. Rachel walked over to the stove and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before turning to the children and reminding them the various programs of the day.

"Thomas, your clarinet is in your room and, please, don't eat while you're playing; I just cleaned it", she recommended her twelve-year-old son while serving breakfast on their plates. The other children made an expression of disgust. "Sarah, you're coming back to school today and don't get into trouble again, young lady, or your father and I won't let you play outside". The eleven-year-old girl's eyes widened, but she nodded and continued to eat. Meanwhile Rachel had turned to Simon, her eight-year-old son, and to her six-year-old twins. "Simon, don't bring Cas to school, yesterday you scared to death three of your schoolmates when you put it on the table of the cafeteria", she informed him and then she added, talking to the twins, "Lizzie and Allie, try not to correct your English teacher again, okay?" The two girls rolled their eyes, but nodded and sat down at the table. Finally, Rachel said to Daniel and Noah that they had an appointment with their dentist at five. The two children were about to protest but Finn shushed them by putting a plate full of chocolate pancakes in front of them. He sat down next to Rachel and squeezed her hand under the table before starting to eat. Chris and Annabel, the teenagers of the family, arrived a few minutes later and sat down without saying anything, not wanting to disturb that quiet moment that was really rare in a family like theirs, composed of fourteen people. Of course, now Emily no longer lived with them , but still there was chaos at every hour of the day.

Rachel and Finn's eldest daughter, Emily, was twenty-two years old and had just moved into a new apartment, in Ohio, with her current boyfriend John, whom her younger siblings and – if we want to be honest – her parents, didn't like very much. He considered himself an actor, but in reality he had only appeared in a perfume commercial and Rachel, mother of twelve children as well as famous actress on Broadway, could hardly stand his arrogant and self-centered behavior, especially when John tried to convince her that television was much better than theater. Finn liked him even less, to be honest, but he pretended to like him just for the sake of his daughter.

"Sarah, stop tickling my foot!", Annabel cried, sending a threatening look toward her little sister sitting in front of her. Sarah raised an eyebrow and looked at her amused. "Are you crazy, Annie? I'm not even touching your leg", she said, putting a spoonful of cereal into her mouth. Annabel opened her eyes widely, frightened. "If it's not you then what is…" she wondered and shrieked when she felt something bite her foot. What happened next happened so fast that describing it would be a challenge. Pancakes and cereal boxes flew all over the kitchen, threw into the air by the eleven kids who stood up so quickly from their chairs to hurl the table to the ground, making a real mess on the floor.

"It's Cas! He escaped from the cage!", Simon screamed as he pointed to the little brown and white hamster running through the kitchen in search of shelter. Benjamin, the family member who loved dangerous situations, stood up on a chair and tried to throw himself on the hamster, missing him, however, at least four feet and hurting his elbow. Rachel rushed to his aid, giving him a kiss on the wound and telling him that he should _"never make a move so reckless again". _Meanwhile, Finn had ordered Annabel and Chris to close the doors of the kitchen and Peter to go and fetch the landing net they use at the beach and his hockey stick.

"Here, daddy!", said the nine-year-old boy as he handed him the items he asked for. Finn thanked his son before calling aloud his wife's name. "Take it, Rach!", he shouted, throwing her the landing net with perfect aim, the result of countless hours of training. Since high school Finn had never lost his passion for football and thanks to his hobby he now had a job he greatly appreciated: football coach for boys from fourteen to eighteen years old. Rachel grabbed the landing net without any problems and stared at her husband, waiting for some instructions.

Finn smiled at her before explaining the plan of action. "Okay, now listen to me: I approach Cas slowly and with this hockey stick I push it toward your direction, straight towards the net. Okay?", he asked, assuming the tone he always used to explain something very complicated to the boys in his football class. Rachel nodded and positioned the landing net in front of herself, ready to receive the hamster. Finn walked up to the rodent, trying not to make any noise that would scare him and make him run away. Meanwhile the children had gathered near the refrigerator and they were watching the scene intently, without making any sound. The room was charged with tension and Finn did nothing but increase it when, with the hockey stick, he made a movement so fast that the hamster did not even notice his presence until he was pushed quickly towards the net that Rachel was holding. The latter raised it in the air to prevent a second escape and the children exulted together, giving high fives to their parents. "Great job!", Daniel and Noah exclaimed happily, exchanging a handshake with Rachel and Finn.

After everyone had calmed down, Rachel and Finn asked the children to clean up the kitchen while giving the landing net, with the hamster still inside, to Simon. "Put him in his cage and make sure it's closed", Finn recommended, looking at him sternly. Sarah, who in that moment was washing the cups with Annabel, snorted, turning to his brother and father. "Closed or not, that hamster will certainly cause other troubles. Isn't that true, _Simy_?", she teased her brother, calling him by the nickname he hated so much. Simon looked at her almost with hatred before yelling at her not to call him like that and going to his room. Rachel and Finn sighed and, shortly after scolding their eleven-year-old daughter, they set to work to bring the kitchen back into a decent state.

* * *

At seven o'clock all the Hudson began to prepare to go to school or, in Finn's case, to work. Rachel would stay at home to finish various domestic activities before going to the grocery store. About sixteen years ago she used to leave the house before Finn to go to work in the theatre, but those times were over by now. After their third child, Rachel and Finn had agreed that it was better if Rachel took a break from Broadway and tried to be a full-time mom. At first, bringing Emily and Chris to work with her was pleasant and also a great way to spend more time with them, but Annabel's arrival had complicated their daily routine and Rachel came to the conclusion that leaving Broadway was their only option. The salary that Finn earned with his work was quite enough to support them and now nearly twenty years had passed since the last time Rachel had set foot on a stage. Sometimes she missed the theatre and that feeling she felt every time she sang in front of a huge audience, but she never regretted her choice. She and Finn had chosen to have a big family and this was the least they could do for their children. And it wasn't so bad because, each time for her birthday, Finn took her to see a musical on Broadway, and that was the best gift she could ever receive.

"Be careful, today!", Rachel warned her husband while gently stroking the bruise that had appeared on his temple after one of the kids of his course had hit him with the ball, the other day. Finn kissed her tenderly on the lips. "I'll be fine, don't worry." He smiled at her and then turned toward the stairs that led upstairs. "Guys! Time to go!", he cried and was immediately invested by a mass of brown and ginger hair. Annabel, Chris and Peter said good-bye to their parents before going out quickly to go to school. The first two would go by Chris' car, while Peter would use his skateboard. Finn, instead, would accompany the other four and then he would go to work while taking with him the five-year-old twins, Daniel and Noah.

"Hey Simon, do you need a hand, honey?" Rachel approached her eight-year-old son to help him. He was trying to reach his hat hanging on the coat rack still too high for him. He looked angry and he kept jumping up and down without asking for help to any of his siblings or parents. The child nodded sadly and Rachel lovingly ruffled his hair before passing him the hat. "Thank you", Simon said hastily, anxious to join his father, but Rachel stopped him. "Don't move, wait!", she exclaimed before lowering herself to his height so she could look into his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Simon directed his glance to the ground. "Sarah says that I always get into trouble and that no one cares about me and Cas", he whispered with tears in his eyes. Rachel hugged him close to her and planted a kiss on his ginger hair. "It is absolutely not true, honey. You know Sarah says it just to annoy you." She looked into his eyes and adjusted his hat. "We all love you very mu-" But she couldn't finish the sentence because Daniel and Noah chose exactly that moment to start a fight in the garden and Rachel had to intervene to separate them and prevent them from hurting themselves. About three minutes later, Rachel turned around to keep talking to her son, but she realized that Simon was already in the car talking with Ben about some hockey game. She sighed and kissed good-bye all the other kids and Finn before returning home and trying to tidy up the mess that was left in the kitchen.

Another week had begun for the Hudson family, but they still did not know how many things were about to change.

* * *

**Here's a list of all the Hudson kids and their ages :)**

**Emily, 22 years old**

**Christopher, 17 years old**

**Annabel, 16 years old**

**Thomas, 12 years old**

**Sarah, 11 years old**

**Peter, 9 years old**

**Simon, 8 years old**

**Elizabeth and Alison, 7 years old**

**Benjamin, 6 years old**

**Daniel and Noah, 5 years old**


	2. We're moving!

**Oh my, I'm so glad you enjoyed the first chapter! Thank you so much for the reviews and for following this story! I really loved writing this chapter (especially the scene between Rachel and Finn.. I miss them so much) and I hope you enjoy it! :))**

* * *

"Daniel and Noah, get out of the field!" Finn shouted to the twins, walking towards them.

"I'm sorry, buddies, but the kids are playing and you can get hurt." He took a football from the cart next to him and gave it to the two children. "Why don't you go and play together on that field over there?", he suggested, then, indicating an unused part of the field. Daniel and Noah exulted with joy and thanked him before starting to run, ready to play their favorite sport. "Just try not to get dirty! You know that your mom would fly off the handle if so!", he reminded them and walked away towards the opposite side of the field, reaching coach Beiste, his boss. She was a woman, but Finn had never met someone bigger and intimidating than her. That's why, whenever she had to tell him something, Finn was always sweating and his heart was pounding like a kettledrum in his ears. Beiste looked him up and down before giving him a pat on the shoulder. "Hudson, someone needs to talk to you. Come into my office." Finn's eyes widened, but he pretended to be calm. "Uhm sure, Coach." He called Daniel and Noah and told them not to leave the camp and that he would come back soon, before wiping the sweat from his forehead and walking towards the building.

"You've gotten fat, Finn" Finn heard someone say as he entered his boss' office. He looked around and when he saw who had spoken, he could not believe his eyes. "Puck!", he exclaimed shocked and enthusiastic at the same time. Puck smiled and the two exchanged their old handshake. "What are you doing here?" Finn sat on the desk and looked at his friend. He had not changed at all since the last time they saw each other, four years ago. Well, of course he had aged, but his features were still the same, and even his expressions..

"Fuck Finn, you're so busy with those twenty brats of yours I bet you don't even read the newspapers anymore." … And his language. Finn chuckled, happy to spend some time with his old friend. "They're only twelve, Puck, and you know it. One of them has even your name!" Puck made an expression of distaste. "Poor kid, I've always hated my name. But _Miss Bossy Pants _was unmovable about that decision, obviously", he snorted. "But, anyway", he continued and walked over to his bag to pick up a newspaper that he gave to Finn. "Here, read it." His friend raised an eyebrow but he did as he was told without asking anything. His mouth was hanging open when he finished reading the paper title. "They fired the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes?", he asked in astonishment. "But he was great!"

Puck grimaced. "Well, apparently not enough." Then he looked at Finn, almost expecting that he had understood the reason of his visit. But his friend did not have a clue and wondered what he had to do with that article.

Some time ago, when they were still in high school, he and Puck were football teammates and both, after the end of the school, continued to play in college. They had decided that, one day, they would become great coaches and Puck had realized his dream. He and his girlfriend Quinn, now married with two children, remained in Ohio, specifically in Columbus, where Puck and Finn had attended the Ohio State University and now, about twenty years later, Puck was the director of the university's football program. Finn, on the other hand, had joined Rachel in New York City, but after three years, they had given up their dreams of having great careers for their family. Sure, Rachel had been able to become a Broadway actress, but she had never been able to interpret Fanny, her dream role, and now they no longer even lived in New York City, where the cost of living was very high, but in Middletown. In spite of everything they were happy with their children and Finn could not imagine a better life.

After a few minutes of silence, Puck noticed that Finn had not yet realized, and so he asked him the fateful question that would have soon changed his life: "The Ohio State Buckeyes are having a lot of problems lately. You think you can make our old team champion again?"

Finn dropped the newspaper he was holding in his hands. "Y-you mean coach?"

Puck nodded and smiled. "Coach."

* * *

"We're home", Finn shouted as soon as he closed the front door behind him.

Daniel and Noah immediately ran to the kitchen to get something to eat, while Finn was surrounded by seven children eager to tell him about their days. "Daddy, daddy, today I got an A in geography!", Elizabeth said clinging to his leg. "Great job! I'm really proud of you, Lizzie", Finn congratulated her , ruffling her hair. "Oh, is it for me?", he asked Alison, taking the drawing she was showing him. "But it's beautiful, honey! Wow, this is really me.. Look, I have even a sandwich in my hand!", he told the other children, turning the paper and showing them how Alison had drawn him. The children laughed and Finn could not help but laugh with them. "Okay kids, now I have to talk to mom.. At dinner you'll tell me about your days, alright? And Thomas, I definitely want to hear that new song you learned to play with the clarinet!" Thomas smiled and ran to his room to practice.

Meanwhile the other children had scattered around the house and Finn was finally able to go into the kitchen and join Rachel who, in that moment, was busy cutting some vegetables and speaking with the twins at the same time. "Hey, sweetie", Finn said approaching her and giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. The two children wrinkled their noses and covered their faces with their hands, making their parents laugh. Taking advantage of his wife's distraction Finn tried to steal some tomatoes, but Rachel noticed him and gave him a light slap on the hand. "Don't you dare, Finn Hudson. It's almost ready, you can wait another ten minutes." Finn pouted, but he eventually gave up and decided to help Rachel cut the vegetables left.

"Everything okay at work, today?", Rachel asked after a few minutes of silence. Usually, when he came home, Finn always talked about how he had worked with the boys and what tactics they had used, but that day it was as if he was trying to restrain himself from saying something. Something very important that he could not wait to say out loud. Finn put the knife down and looked at his wife. "Rach, could we go and talk about it in the basement? It's really important." He was so impatient that he could not stay still even for a second. Rachel looked at him in surprise. "In the basement? Okay…" As soon as she finished speaking Finn took her hand and dragged her to the basement, closing the door in case one of the children tried to enter.

* * *

"Can you hear something, Chris?" Sarah asked his brother impatiently. Chris, who was leaning against the door of the basement with his ear pressed against the bottom of a glass, shook his head. "They turned on the washing machine to cover up their voices!", he exclaimed indignantly. All of the ten kids snorted. When they wanted to, their parents knew how to use some really effective tricks. "The window! There is a small window above the washing machines and today I opened it because mom wanted to get some fresh air in the basement", Annabel said, proud of herself for having remembered that little detail. The kids cheered and rushed into the back yard, trying not to make any noise. Fortunately, their parents had their backs turned to the window, so the kids could hear the whole conversation without being detected.

* * *

"Wow, it must be really important if you have turned on the washing machine", Rachel realized, starting to fold some clothes to distract herself. Finn took a deep breath before revealing the news. "Today Puck visited me at work and – wait, let me finish", he added when Rachel began to open her mouth to say something. She pouted but kept listening to him. "and he wants me to coach the Ohio State Buckeyes!", Finn concluded, excited. Rachel shook her head, thinking she had misheard. "Are you serious?" Her husband smiled and nodded vigorously. "Yes! And you don't know the best part yet: he offered me a five-year contract. Residency and relocation paid! We could finally buy new furniture, a new car and – get this – university employees can send their kids to school for free!"

"Wow", Rachel whispered. She was clearly impressed, but continued to fold clothes thoughtfully. "Well, it's really a great opportunity, but I don't know, Finn. Middletown is our home. The kids have friends here, Chris has a girlfriend and, also, to accept a job so important and full of pressure.. it's really hard. Just think about what happened to me with Broadway!"

Finn nodded, knowingly. "I know, Rach, but the kids will be at school and it will be easier. In addition, we will live only an hour away from Emily and I'm sure she will be able to help us sometimes." Rachel's eyes widened when she realized it was true, they could see Emily whenever they wanted to. Suddenly, she stopped folding clothes and walked over to Finn, taking his hand. He smiled at her and gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "This is your dream since you were in high school", Rachel reminded him. "You've helped me so much with my dream. You joined me in New York City, you supported me when I didn't believe in me, you've seen all my shows.. You deserve this job", she said, with tears in her eyes.

"Well, then I think it's decided.. We're moving!", she exclaimed happily. Finn gave her a beaming smile and bent down to kiss her but the beautiful moment was interrupted by the eleven kids who, now that the conversation was over, did not bother to be seen by their parents and began to speak all at the same time, the word "no" repeated continuously. Finn scratched the back of his neck nervously and looked at Rachel, agitated.

It would have been a real challenge to talk with their children.

* * *

"Our friends are here! And this is our home, we can't move!", Annabel complained during the 'meeting' that Rachel and Finn had called in the living room. "That's right! I have a girlfriend, or you've forgotten it?", Chris commented. All the other children began to talk all at once and Finn had to use the megaphone to be heard.

"SILENCE!", he shouted.

The kids immediately fell silent and looked at their parents, waiting for their comments. "Thank you", Finn said, sitting down on the arm of the armchair where Rachel was sitting. "First of all, say hi to Emily, she's on speaker." The eleven kids greeted their sister with enthusiasm, but they soon returned to their discontented and angry faces.

Rachel sighed and took the floor. "Chris, you can talk with Elise on skype and on the phone just like your father and I did when he was in Columbus and I was in New York. The same goes for you and your friends, Annabel." The two teenagers grumbled, but they couldn't say anything because their siblings began to talk again.

"But Cas' mother is buried here, mom! We can't separate them!", Simon said, shocked.

"And what about my music lessons?", asked Thomas.

"But all my friends are here, I don't want to leave them", Benjamin whimpered.

Rachel and Finn looked at each other exasperatedly before taking the megaphone again and telling the children to be quiet. Rachel explained that in the garden of their new house they would build a monument in memory of Cas' mother, and that Thomas would take music lessons with a new teacher and that Benjamin would surely find some new friends in the neighborhood and that he could keep in touch with his old ones. Then Finn squeezed her shoulder gently, signal which meant that from that moment on he would have tried to talk to them.

"Listen guys, I know this is a big change and that you are scared. We're very comfortable, here, I know. That's why I turned down a lot of other coaching offers, but this is my dream job since I was in high school and that's why I'm asking you to accept this situation for me. I know it will be tough at the beginning but I promise you that in Columbus we will be a happier and stronger family."

"You promise?", Simon asked, uncertain. Finn smiled softly before looking at all the kids and respond.

"I promise."


	3. New House and Old Friends

**This chapter is a little bit longer than the others and I admit that it was the most difficult to write and translate so far. But anyway, thanks again for the reviews (I just love reading them over and over again haha) and, about the previous chapter, one of you noticed that all the kids had a little appearing except Peter and, oh my, you were so right! Thanks for telling me and in this chapter I tried to give him a little more space :))**

**Hope you like it!**

* * *

A week had passed since Rachel and Finn had decided to accept Puck's offer and move with their children in Columbus, Ohio. By now all their bags were packed and the furniture was already in the numerous moving vans. There was nothing left to do but say goodbye to their old home, friends and.. to get Sammy, the family's dog, in the car.

"Come on, Sammy, get in the car!", Finn said, pulling on the leash. The stubborn golden retriever, evidently of the same opinion of the children, didn't want to move and remained sitting on the grass, looking at Finn with daring eyes. "You know what? In our new home we have a huge garden and you can make new friends! Who knows, maybe you could even find a girlfriend", Finn said winking, trying to convince him. But the dog did nothing but look at him with a bored expression, clearly not interested in a future romantic relationship. Finn sighed and let go of the leash.

"I give up", he muttered to Rachel when he returned to the car. Rachel, who was loading the last handbags, chuckled before turning around and calling the dog's name. The dog immediately turned his head towards her direction. "Cookies! Do you want a cookie?", she asked, showing him the vanilla cookie she had just caught from the bag beside her. The golden retriever immediately recognized the word he usually linked to the food and stood up, running at all speeds towards Rachel.

Finn, who had watched the entire scene with his mouth hanging open, turned to his wife stunned. "Why didn't you tell me before that it was so easy?" Rachel patted Sammy's head while the latter was enjoying his well-deserved cookie. "I'm sorry honey, but you were too cute when trying to convince Sammy", she chuckled, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Finn mumbled something before smiling and say: "Well, you were cute too when you were trying to feed that squirrel and it bit you." Rachel immediately stopped smiling and hit him lightly on the chest. "Stop telling this story every time, it only happened once and it was during our honeymoon!" Rachel exclaimed indignantly.

"But you were too cute when you tried to give it a peanut", Finn justified himself, bending over to kiss her. "Sure", Rachel muttered, kissing him back. "Anyway, why don't you go inside to see what the kids are doing? We're late", she worried and began to hastily organize the bags. "I'm going", Finn reassured her and walked to their old house, probably for the last time.

* * *

"We don't wanna move! We don't!", Daniel and Noah whined, wriggling themselves in the car seats. Rachel tried to fasten their safety belts, almost risking of being hit by one of their feet. "We're all moving and we are also taking all your toys. You will have a larger room in the new house!", she tried to convince them, but the twins continued to cry and Rachel sighed, exhausted.

After about five minutes she was finally able to fasten their safety belts and she closed the car door, heading towards Chris, who was filling his car with other bags. "Hey Chris, you're driving the Olds, right?", she asked, throwing him the keys. Chris grabbed them and looked at his mother with eyes full of anger. "Thanks for ruining my life", he said and walked towards the car without even turning around.

Rachel sighed, heartbroken. He hadn't talked to her or Finn for a week and she was so sad about that situation, but she knew that sooner or later her son would understand. With tears in her eyes, Rachel returned to the car, sitting in the passenger seat. The children were all in the car and they were arguing about how unfair it was that they had to move and how would have been their new home and school.

Finn, on the other hand, had just finished talking to the guys driving the moving vans and he joined her in the car, fastening his seat belt. "Okay", he said as he took Rachel's hand and squeezed it, "It's time to say goodbye to Middletown."

* * *

"This is our street!", Finn announced, parking in front of their new house. "Here we are! Everybody out, come on", he urged them and the children immediately rushed out of the car, running towards the entrance of the house. Everyone stopped in the garden, amazed at the size of the residence. It was much, much bigger than the one they had in Middletown.

Rachel and Finn came behind them and stopped to contemplate the house with the children. "There it is. A 1920's classic", Finn said satisfied. "The twins share a room, but everybody else gets their own." Just as he finished the sentence, the eleven kids ran into the house to search the perfect room.

Rachel and Finn laughed, but before entering they had to talk to Chris. "Hey, Chris", Finn called him. The teenager turned and looked with surprise at the flight tickets his father had in his hand. "These are for you. To visit Elise a week before Christmas", Finn explained, handing out the tickets. Chris took them hesitantly and looked at his parents with a suspicious look. "Are you trying to bribe me?", he asked.

"Well…", Rachel giggled. Finn could not help but smile when he saw that Chris was no longer angry. "Is it working?", he asked hopefully. Chris shrugged, looking at the tickets. "A little bit", he replied before turning and heading to the door.

Rachel and Finn followed him, hand in hand, and were delighted when they saw the inside of the house. The foyer was elegant, but simple. It consisted of a big staircase leading to the upper floor where the bedrooms and two bathrooms were collocated. On the first floor, instead, there was another bathroom, the kitchen – with a large island in the middle – the dining room and the living room.

Rachel and Finn stood in the middle of the foyer, savoring that moment of calm in which they felt that everything was in place. They had made the right choice, and judging by the cries of joy from their children, even the kids agreed.

"Welcome home, Rach", Finn said, squeezing her hand. Rachel stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. "I cannot wait to start this new chapter of our lives."

* * *

Choosing a room turned out to be more difficult than normal for Simon. By now almost all the rooms were occupied, except for the one in front of Thomas's but, according to his brother, that room had to remain free because it was for Chris.

Simon wandered the halls, looking for a free room, until he found himself in front of a door leading to the attic. Simon looked around before climbing the stairs, clutching Cas tightly to his chest. When he arrived, the eight-year-old boy observed with attention the simple room containing only a bed. Simon smiled as soon as he realized that it would be a perfect bedroom for him. There was enough space for Cas's cage and for the aquarium and, in addition, it was distant from his siblings' rooms. Finally he would have been in peace, without hearing Annabel and Sarah fight over who had to use the bathroom first, or Benjamin and Peter playing "Tag" in the hallway.

He sat down on the bed and freed Cas, putting him on the mattress. "Welcome to our new home, buddy."

* * *

Someone had knocked on the door of the house, and Thomas went to tell his parents that there were people waiting for them at the entrance. Rachel's eyes widened as soon as she realized that they were probably their new neighbors and quickly ran into the foyer, followed by Finn. "Hello!" Rachel greeted them with emphasis. "I'm Rach-" but she couldn't finish the sentence because she immediately recognized one of the three guests. "Jesse?", she asked shocked.

If she was shocked, Finn was annoyed. _"Will he ever disappear from our lives_?", he thought exasperated as he approached his wife. The last time they had seen each other was at Nationals, when they spoke before the start of the performances, and he said that he knew of their upcoming wedding. Finn knew he had changed and no longer loved Rachel (or at least he hoped), but his presence made him uncomfortable.

"Rachel, Finn", Jesse finally managed to say, recovering from the shock. The woman next to him, probably his wife, looked at him with a curious expression. "Do you know them?", she asked. Jesse nodded and coughed before giving an answer to his wife. "Yes Care, we were in high school together. Kind of", he explained quickly. "Oh." She looked at them from head to toe with an attitude of superiority.

"This is my wife Caroline and our son, Michael", Jesse introduced them, squeezing his son's shoulder. "We've brought some homemade cookies to welcome you to the neighborhood," Caroline continued, smiling. "Oh, thank you," Rachel said, taking the tray. In that moment Peter, who had just taken his bags out of the car, entered the room and greeted the guests. "Hey, wanna help me unpack?", he asked Michael. The boy smiled and nodded before taking off his sweater and giving it to his dad. "Oh no sweetie, it's better if you keep it", Caroline said, handing the sweater back to him. "He's inside, Care", Jesse tried to say but his wife shushed him with a wave of her hand. "Don't start, okay?"

Rachel and Finn looked at each other before turning their attention back to their neighbors. "So Jesse, what are you doing here in Columbus?", Finn asked, genuinely interested.

Jesse shrugged. "Being a Broadway star has never been my dream, honestly. I've been teaching for more than ten years at the Eastmoor High School, here in Columbus, where I met Caroline", he explained. "What about you, Rachel? I thought you wanted to live in New York.. it's hard to believe that you might have wanted to stay here in Ohio", Jesse confessed.

"Well, we lived in New York City for a while and I was able to become a Broadway actress – I'm sure you've heard about me – but Finn has recently received a job offer here in Ohio and that's why we moved. Once, I considered my carrier as the most important thing for me, but not anymore. We have a family, now, and it comes before everything else", she said looking at Finn and smiling.

"Oh, Peter, right? Is he your only child?", Caroline asked, clearly bored by the previous conversation and eager to change the subject. Rachel and Finn laughed. "Um no, we have twelve."

Their neighbors opened their eyes wide. "I couldn't keep her off me!", Finn joked. Rachel giggled, giving him a slight nudge in the side. "_Finn!_", she whispered embarrassed, but he was intent on watching Jesse's expression. He was laughing, but didn't seem bothered and Finn was glad. Maybe he really moved on.

"Head's up!", cried one of the kids from upstairs. A hockey puck suddenly reached the first floor and Finn grabbed it quickly. "A little less wrist, Ben", he suggested him before throwing the hockey puck. The boy nodded and skated towards the end of the hallway.

"Oh, they're playing hockey in the house?", Caroline asked, shocked. Finn nodded, not understanding her neighbor's concern. "Yeah, but if the game gets bigger than three on three, they have to take it outside," he explained.

Caroline nodded. "Well, Michael doesn't play rough games," she said, but in that moment there was a loud crash upstairs and Michael, equipped with skates, knee pads and a helmet, collided with the railing, falling and clinging to the chandelier. "Oh, my God!", Caroline cried, putting her hands on her heart. Jesse was scared to death but hugged her, trying to calm her down. His wife, however, continued to shout. _"Save my baby!"_

Finn ran up the stairs. "Hang on, buddy!", he shouted to Michael, climbing over the railing. "Don't worry, I swing from the chandelier all the time", he tried to reassure him but right in that moment his feet slipped from the railing and he found himself clinging to chandelier and suspended in the air along with Michael. "Okay, I was joking", he chuckled nervously.

Meanwhile, Caroline continued to scream, but Rachel ran under Michael, raising her arms. "I'm here! I can catch him!", she shouted to Finn when she saw that the chandelier was starting to come loose from the ceiling. Her husband looked at the boy and tried to convince him. "She's got you, Michael, you can let go", he said and the child nodded, closing his eyes tightly before letting go and falling, straight into Rachel's arms. A second later, the chandelier broke away from the ceiling and Finn fell to the ground, about eight feet away from Rachel and Michael.

"Oh sweetie, are you all right?", Caroline asked him, running towards him and unbuckling his helmet. "I'm fine, Mom", Michael assured her. Jesse helped him up and shook the ceiling plaster off his clothes.

"Well, I guess we can cross 'swinging from a chandelier' off of the list of things to do before we die", Finn joked, turning to the child. Michael laughed and put his sweater over his shoulders. "Okay, I think we should go. You have piano lessons today", Caroline announced, pushing his son towards the door. "But I don't have lessons today", the boy said confused. "Well, then you need to practice", she laughed hysterically.

"Come over any time, dude!", Peter said from upstairs, throwing him his sneakers. "Yeah, sure", Caroline commented before saying good-bye to Rachel and Finn and stepping out of the door with his son and Jesse. "You're all invited to my birthday!", Michael was able to shout before Finn closed the door.

"Oh, that'll be fun", Rachel commented sarcastically, adjusting her dress. Later she and Finn tried to clean up the foyer, paying close attention to the pieces of glass that covered the entire floor. They were engaged in a conversation about who they had to call to fix the chandelier, when Finn's phone rang and he had to answer. "Hey Puck, what's up?", he said. On his face appeared an expression of disbelief when he heard the answer. "Really? Okay, I'll see you there!", he exclaimed excitedly, ending the call and running up the stairs. "Guess what? Fox Sports wants to interview me on TV. Dad's gonna earn a living!", he shouted, jumping for joy.

Rachel watched him disappear at the end of the hallway. "Okay, I got this", she said incredulously, although there was no one in the room. She sighed, accepting the fact that with his new job, Finn would have spent much more time at work.. She was a little upset, but she knew it was important to him and so she kept cleaning by herself, accepting the situation just like their children did with the moving.


	4. Impending Changes

**Sorry for the delay but this chapter was really a challenge and, in fact, I have some doubts about various verbs, so if you find any error please tell me! :) **  
**Thanks again for your reviews, you're always so kind, and in response to some of them I can tell you that yes, sadly a little drama is coming for Finn and Rachel, and that you will surely see Burt, Carole and Rachel's dads, although I still can't tell you precisely when...**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

* * *

Simon's bedroom was full of surprises. It had been two weeks since the Hudsons had moved into their new house, but Simon discovered something new every day. That afternoon he was cleaning Cas's cage when he saw a small door he had never noticed before. It was made of dark wood and it blended perfectly with the wall, but Simon was always very attentive and tried to open it with the small key that he and his mom had found under the mattress when they were making the bed.

The lock clicked and Simon, excited about his new discovery, leaned over to see what was inside, but as he tried to take a few steps, he fell down a chute and landed in a small room full of dust and cobwebs, but with a grate in the middle. The child silently crawled to the grate and he realized that he was above the dining room where his parents were engaged in a conversation.

"Honey, I'm gonna be late tonight. I've got another press conference", Finn informed Rachel, helping her putting in order the room. Rachel sighed, it had been two days since her husband had dined with her and the children. "Again?", she complained, pouting.

Finn kissed her on the hair before taking his case and football cap from the coat rack. "I know Rach, but it's only for these days. The press is eager to meet the new coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, but you'll see that in a few days everything will be back to normal", he promised her before kissing her goodbye and leaving the house.

Simon chose that moment to move and he quickly went towards the other chute in front of the grate. The descent was rather fast and the child found himself catapulted into their house's front yard.

"Hi, Dad!", he exclaimed as if nothing had happened. "See ya, buddy", Finn said ruffling his ginger hair as he walked toward the car.

Simon shook some leaves off his clothes before heading to the door and sitting next to his siblings who were slumped on the steps with bored faces.

"Day fourteen on the alien planet", said Peter, drumming his fingers on his skateboard. The other children sighed, bored, while in that moment Chris came out of the house, followed by Thomas.

"Where are you going?", asked the twelve-year-old boy, willing to go along with him. Thomas adored Chris and aspired to be like him, but since they had moved their relationship was fracturing and his older brother was becoming really hateful.

"To sign up for football. And no, you can't come", Chris said, walking away quickly. Thomas rolled his eyes before going back and sitting beside Benjamin, who was intent on playing a video game.

Sarah looked around the neighborhood and sighed."Could this place be any more boring? There's nothing to do around here." Annabel's eyes widened just as she had an idea that, in her opinion, was absolutely fantastic. "I could give you a makeover!", she suggested radiantly but Sarah looked at her as if she were crazy. Annabel sighed, muttering something like "why do I even try?", before going back inside the house.

Sarah and Annabel were very, very different temperamentally and physically. The first had brown hair, hated dressing elegant and wearing make-up. She liked sports, especially baseball and hockey, and was also very good at preparing jokes to which, as often as not, participated Peter, Ben, Thomas, Lizzie and Ally.

Annabel, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. She was blonde, loved fashion, make-up and could not stand the sports Sarah liked. She was identical to Emily, their older sister, and in fact they were very close. However, this did not mean that she didn't love Sarah and all her siblings. Each of them had a different character, but they still loved each other and considered themselves as best friends.

"I suggest following Annabel, we'll die of heat out here", Lizzie said, waving a hand near her face to get some air. It was mid-September but the temperatures were still high.

The children nodded before getting up and reentering the house, preparing themselves for more hours of boredom until dinner time.

* * *

"There's daddy!", Daniel and Noah exclaimed, pointing to the television. It was nine o'clock in the evening and all the children were gathered in their parents' bedroom to watch Finn on television.

They were all sitting on the huge king-size bed, Sammy included, and Rachel quickly grabbed the remote to turn up the volume and listen to the answers that her husband would have given to the various questions he would have been asked.

"It's been reported that you like to blast music in your locker room. Why?" One of the journalists asked and Finn smiled before answering. "Well, when we were in high school, my wife and I, loved singing and for this reason we were in the Glee Club. Music has always been a part of my life and my family's and I think it can help players concentrate before a game. Unless, of course, I start dancing. In that case they just get nauseous", he joked and the reporters laughed with him.

The kids and Rachel laughed too, knowing his "famous" dance steps. "Well, at least we get to see him on TV", Annabel said and her siblings nodded before focusing on the next question.

"How do you manage a family of twelve and a football team?" Asked another journalist and Finn nodded, expecting that question. "Well, I've got a really great team here", he said, indicating the football team behind him, "and a solid support system at home. Go to bed, kids!" he said finally, looking at the camera, and Rachel took advantage of that moment to turn off the television and put to use her husband's command.

"Okay, you heard the coach. Off to bed, come on", she urged them and the children sighed before getting up and walking towards their rooms. "In Middletown we were a family and now we're a support system?" Sarah noted indignantly without moving from the bed.

"A family _is_ a support system, Sarah", Annabel said matter-of-factly and Sarah snorted before following her siblings.

Just then the phone rang and Benjamin, who was standing next to it, answered immediately. "Hello?", he said as he heard a strange voice. "Who's this?" Benjamin listened intently before turning to Rachel and giving her the phone. "I don't know, mommy. Someone from something something", he said confused. His mother chuckled before picking up the phone and answering.

"Hello? Oh hi, Julie", she said recognizing the voice of her manager.

* * *

When Finn arrived home, that evening, there was a strange silence. Rachel had probably already put to bed most of the children and for that reason there were no screams or weird combat noises as always. Finn hurried up the stairs to look for his wife and was surprised when he found her with Annabel in their bedroom that now looked like a battlefield. Their bed and armchair were covered with clothes, each one different from the other, and Annabel was giving Rachel fashion advices so passionately she didn't even notice his presence.

"This is business, Mom", Annabel reminded her. "Salmons and pinks are so homemaker", she said and completely discarded the clothes of that color, putting them on the armchair.

"I think you should wear something gray or navy. Gray is smart and navy is muscle. Choose either and you'll rule the boardroom", she concluded satisfied. Rachel tried to say something but in that moment Finn decided to enter the room.

"What's going on?", he asked while approaching his wife and daughter. Rachel immediately got up from the bed, too excited to give him the news. "Julie called. My book's getting published", she revealed to him, smiling and almost jumping for joy.

Finn gasped, stunned and happy at the same time.

Although Rachel had left the stage a while ago, the newspapers and internet gossip sites had never stopped talking about her and, of course, about their family of twelve children. It was almost a scandal and many journalists and fans, through e-mails, asked her a lot of questions, sometimes always the same ones. So Rachel had thought that maybe she could have written a book about her journey from being a Broadway actress to becoming a mother of twelve children. In the book she explained many anecdotes about the way their family made it all work, all their funny and sad moments and she also talked about the Glee Club, Mr. Schuester etc…

It was a book that would have finally answered all those questions she was always asked, calming the journalists' and her fans' thirst for information.

Her manager, Julie, had immediately agreed, saying it was a fantastic idea, and she had just announced to her that one of the biggest publishing houses of America wanted to publish her book, which Rachel had finished writing about two weeks before they moved in Columbus.

"Didn't I say we'd have it all?", Finn exclaimed enthusiastic, raising his arms in the air. Rachel raised an eyebrow. "You've never said that", she reminded him with a chuckle.

"Well, I'm telling you now, baby", he exclaimed before reaching and kissing her, causing her to fall onto the bed. Rachel laughed beneath him before kissing him, while Annabel, still in the room, closed her eyes immediately, disgusted by her parents' display of affection.

"Ew, can you guys at least wait until I leave the room?", she cried before rushing into her bedroom. Finn chuckled and started to kiss his wife again, but Rachel stopped him.

"There's only one problem… They asked me to go to New York for a few days", she said, biting her lip nervously. Finn froze immediately.

"Oh", he said before getting up. Rachel sat on the bed and looked at him uncertainly. "Oh?", she asked.

"That was a good 'Oh'", Finn tried to reassure her. "Well yes, it's not the best timing, but you're going to New York, Rach. I can handle this", he concluded as he took her hand and squeezed it.

"Are you sure?" Rachel was hesitant. "You haven't been home much, Finn, since we moved here", she pointed out. Finn sighed and went near the walk-in closet, taking off his jacket and tie.

Meanwhile, Rachel continued to talk, anxious. "You're gonna have to shop for school supplies - you know they are going to start school next Monday - get them dressed and bathed, put them to bed at night and you know Daniel and Noah are afraid of the dark and..."

Finn went close to her and tried to calm her down. "I know Rach, I know. Been there, done all that", he assured her and Rachel was finally able to breathe. She looked into her husband's eyes and saw that he was absolutely serious. "You're considering this?"

Finn shook his head. "I'm not considering this. You're going. I know how much you miss New York and this is another dream you can realize. You deserve it and so you'll go, I will take care of the children and Emily will give me a hand", he said before kissing her and putting an end to the matter.

Rachel smiled at him before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him, picking up where they left off before.

* * *

John was sitting on the couch of his and Emily's apartment, intent on composing a new song (he thought he had a good voice, in addition to his great physical) when Emily got a phone call from her family. Finn and Rachel had asked her to come over on Sunday for lunch and to babysit the children, but Emily hadn't been able to give them an answer because her siblings had taken possession of the phone and now were asking her a lot of questions.

"Yeah, it totally sucks. I miss you too, but I was busy looking for a job, Lizzie", she said to her seven-year-old sister before Annabel took possession of the phone.

"Hi, Annie", Emily happily greeted her. "Okay, I'll try and be there, honey", she promised before putting a hand on the phone and directing her attention to her boyfriend.

"They want to see me, John", she whimpered. John looked up from his guitar and shrugged. "Just tell them you can't go", he simply said, returning to compose his song. Emily told her siblings to wait a second before speaking again with her boyfriend.

"That's easy for you to say, you're an only child!", she sighed as she sat beside him on the couch. "It might be fun to baby-sit together", she tried to suggest.

John immediately looked up from his notebook. "No, no. Whoa, no", he exclaimed and looked into her eyes, terrified. "You know what happened last time we visited!"

Emily waved a hand in the air, as if to dismiss that memory from his mind. "They were welcoming you into the family", she tried to convince him. Her boyfriend looked at her shocked and put down the notebook and the guitar on the coffee table in front of him. "They set me on fire!" he cried indignantly and gave Emily a killer look when she said that it was only his pants.

"Honey, I'm an actor, okay?", he tried to make her understand. "Yes, last time it was just my pants, but what if next time is my face? This is the money maker!", he exclaimed pointing at himself.

Emily sighed and decided it was time for Plan B. "Please? Pleasee?", she begged, pouting and batting her eyelashes. John shook his head, trying not to be persuaded.

"Don't look at me like that", he said, but it was already starting to change his mind and he sighed, frustrated. "Fine, fine. We'll go, but one thing happens and I'm gone", he warned her, before adding two other conditions. "And no fires! And we sleep in the same room."

Emily hugged him happily before answering the phone again. "Annie, put Dad on."

* * *

Finn rolled his eyes before revealing to Rachel their daughter's conditions. "What? No, no way. She knows the rules", she said annoyed, before turning towards the children, who were all sitting on the couch.

"She wants to have her own room when she's here. Isn't that sweet?", she chuckled and looked back at Finn. "No", she repeated.

"Okay, why don't you just come over on Sunday and we'll talk about it?", Finn suggested and his wife nodded vigorously. "All right, bye", he said hanging up.

The children looked at their parents with a worried expression. "Tell me doorknob man isn't baby-sitting too?" Sarah asked, hoping for a miracle.

"Yes, he very well might be, young lady", Rachel replied. "And do not set his pants on fire again!", she advised all the children while Sarah and Peter laughed. "Classic", the eleven-year-old girl smirked.

Rachel and Finn headed towards the kitchen, discussing the various programs of the day, while the children, except for Annabel and Chris, remained in the living room.

"Is anybody besides me thinking our happier and stronger life is nastier and suckier?" Sarah said, turning to her siblings. "First Dad forces us to move", Benjamin began listing.

"Then Mom decides to become a career person again and travel the globe", Peter continued and the others nodded. "Now we have to take orders from John the model slash actor?", Alison said incredulously and Simon joined her. "He thinks to be famous and he hates kids too", he sighed.

Lizzie sat up on the couch, determined to do something to change the situation. "Emily's blind to his evil. We have no choice but to intervene", she decided and Thomas, sitting beside her, nodded in agreement.

"Sunday is tomorrow so we've got 24 hours. Let's work a plan", Sarah said excitedly and the children quickly gathered around the coffee table, ready to come up with the perfect plan to destroy John and save Emily from his wickedness.


	5. The Great Plan

**This chapter was so fun to write! I really think it's my favorite so far and I can't wait to read what you think about it! Anyway, t****hanks so much for all your support and for following the story, it really means a lot to me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! :))**

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm proud to announce that the Appleschmear season is officially open!", Finn announced, raising his tennis racket in the air.

The children cheered, jumping up and down with joy, and they immediately ran to get in line, ready with the apples in their hands.

Sarah would have been the first to launch and she couldn't wait. She tightened her ponytail and put her baseball glove on, ready to score the first point. Her father always won, but not that time. She could feel it.

"Future president of the United States, Sarah Hudson, will throw the first apple", Finn shouted, waiting for her launch. Sarah immediately threw the apple to her father, but the latter was able to hit it with his racket and he covered the children with apple pulp.

"Wow, that's all you can do, Sarah?", Finn spurred her on, waving his racket. The eleven-year-old girl half-closed her eyes and focused before executing her second launch, but Finn was able to hit the apple again and the children were newly covered with pulp.

"It's an apple, and now it's sauce", Finn intoned excited for the victory and improvised a little dance, making the children laugh.

The game went on for another five minutes before the arrival of Emily and John and the kids ran towards them, eager to see their older sister.

"Appleschmear. It's the game our uncle Blaine invented", explained Emily happily while exiting the car and hugging her eleven siblings. "Nice", John winced before following his girlfriend.

As soon as he closed the car door, he immediately got in front of the car, trying to protect it from the children. "No, no, no, no. You can't touch the LeBaron. I just had it detailed", he warned them, watching them carefully. "Finn, can you please ask the kids to respect the perimeter around the LeBaron?", he asked his 'father-in-law'.

Finn tried not to roll his eyes before giving the order to the children. They grumbled and turned their attention back to Emily, hugging and asking her how was her new apartment, if she had found a job and if she missed them.

Emily greeted everyone before heading inside the house with her parents, congratulating Rachel for her book's promotion. John, instead, had remained close to his car to make sure there was no scratch.

"Battle stations", Sarah suddenly whispered to her siblings and the children scattered around the front yard, ready to begin with the first phase of the plan.

Benjamin went near the paddling pool in which Sammy had taken a bath that morning, Peter ran to get his skateboard and quickly walked away while Sarah, Lizzie and Allie prepared to throw the apple.

On the driveway that leaded to the front door of the house the children had drawn a small "x" with a piece of chalk and next to it were sitting Daniel and Noah, casually holding the hose that horizontally crossed the driveway.

John was approaching the point marked with the "x" and Benjamin began to cough, making Peter understand that it was time to act.

The nine-year-old boy immediately began to run toward John with his skateboard, while Sarah threw the apple and warned him to watch out.

John looked in the air and managed to catch the apple, but just then Peter jumped in front of him with his skate and John found himself forced to retreat, stumbling in the hose and falling into the paddling pool full of dirty water.

"Phase one complete", Sarah said satisfied while giving Lizzie and Allie high fives. The children laughed when they saw John coming out of the pool, completely soaked, but stopped immediately when he glared at them and walked ferociously towards their house in search of Finn and Rachel.

* * *

Finn and Rachel had been shocked by what had happened and they had immediately given a bathrobe to John before going to put his clothes in the washing machine.

Elizabeth, Alison and Simon had stayed in the living room, trying to entertain him while their siblings were busy with the second phase of the plan.

"We're sorry about your clothes. We'll have them dry in no time", Allie said, trying to be nice, but John rolled his eyes before parroting her. He had never liked kids and Emily's siblings were at the top of his blacklist.

The three kids kept staring at him, trying to figure out how he could be so stupid, but fortunately that embarrassing moment was interrupted by their parents and Emily's arrival.

"So, how's the acting career going, John?", Finn asked while he and Rachel sit beside the twins on the couch and Emily took a seat next to him.

"If it was going any better, there'd have to be two of me", John said, chuckling.

"Yeah, we saw you in that perfume commercial", Rachel informed him and John nodded, satisfied. "It's amazing, isn't it? Thanks to me, of course", he laughed and Finn raised an eyebrow, clearly of a different opinion.

But John continued to speak , unperturbed. "The remarkable thing about my career is I only started acting, what? A month ago? And I'm already on tv", he said. "My career is going great."

"I read that most actors end up in the food-service industry", Lizzie suddenly informed him and Finn coughed, sending his daughter a glance.

John looked at her with his mouth wide open and Emily spoke before the conversation took a different tone.

"That's not going to happen to John, Lizzie", she said while stroking her boyfriend's arm reassuringly.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for you, but I think Emily's right. I mean, I can hardly go out in public any more. Between the autograph hounds and the paparazzi…", John said, but was interrupted by Rachel who looked at him in surprise.

"Autographs and everything? Just one commercial and you have _paparazzi_?", she asked incredulously, emphasizing the last word. Finn put a hand on her back to calm her down. He knew his wife and he knew she was trying to hold back the anger and the Broadway star who was in her.

John nodded, absolutely serious. "Yeah. Well, I've never actually seen them, but they hide in the bush and get their shot." Rachel and Finn shared a look, masking their killer instinct with a smile.

John, in the meantime, continued to talk about how strange it was to be in a commercial.

"Every time we turn the channel the commercial just keeps popping up. It's like I can run from me, but I can't hide from me!", he concluded excitedly and Emily laughed, looking at him with adoration.

"What a nightmare!", Finn exclaimed after a few seconds of silence and the kids tried not to laugh.

John, however, did not notice the comment because Emily started kissing him with so much passion that Rachel had to get up and divide them. "Okay, enough. Emily why don't you help me in the kitchen? Come on kids, everybody out", she said annoyed before disappearing into the kitchen and letting Finn and John alone in the living room.

The father of twelve smiled as he tried to pretend to be interested in his daughter's boyfriend's acting career of which John had already begun to speak about again.

* * *

While their parents were busy talking with doorknob man, Sarah, Peter and Thomas were down in the basement, ready to start the second and last part of the plan.

Before their mother and Emily arrived into the kitchen, Sarah had been able to take some advanced ground meat and put it in a container that she had dragged in the basement without problems.

Peter and Thomas took John's still wet boxer shorts out of the washing machine and gave them to Sarah before getting some cotton balls out of their pants pockets and putting them in their nostrils.

What they were about to do was really brilliant, but it had an awful smell.

Thomas went near the meat bucket and slowly removed the lid, making an expression of disgust when the smell pervaded the room. Apparently, the cotton balls were not useful at all.

Sarah carefully placed the boxers on the meat and looked at her brothers. "Begin soaking underwear", she ordered and Peter and Thomas began to push the boxers in the meat with a hockey stick, an operation that lasted for about five minutes before Sarah was satisfied.

About ten minutes later, John's boxers were perfectly dried and emanated an inviting fragrance of meat that Sammy immediately smelled. The golden retriever ran down the basement stairs but Peter and Thomas managed to stop him just in time, holding him by the collar.

Sarah took advantage of that moment to go into the guest room and put the underwear on John's bed, next to his already dried clothes.

Now they just had to wait for John to wear them.

* * *

"Hey, there you go. You look as good as new", Finn said when he saw John in the hallway, dressed in his old clothes. "Not as good as you chief", John replied chuckling before entering the dining room where most of the family was already sitting at the table, waiting for them.

"Sit wherever you want", Finn reassured him before taking a sit next to Rachel.

John drank a bit of orange juice and looked around, noticing that some of the children had not yet arrived.

"So.. are you guys popping out another one any time soon?", he asked and Finn and Rachel looked at him with their mouths agaped, disconcerted by his question.

"Curiosity," he simply said, shrugging. Then he snorted, clearly tired of waiting. "Can someone call them? I'm starving", he said, indicating Sarah's, Peter's and Thomas's empty chairs.

What he didn't know was that the three children were right in the hallway next to the dining room, trying to hold Sammy, who could not wait to taste John's boxers.

Sarah leaned over to see if John was sitting at the table and smiled when she saw that everything was going according to plan. "Okay", she said when she returned behind the wall. She looked at her brothers and nodded firmly.

"Release the hound."

Peter and Thomas left Sammy's grip and the golden retriever immediately run under the table, pointing to John's crotch.

The three kids quickly walked into the room and sat down at the table, without arousing suspicion.

Suddenly, John began to wriggle furiously in his chair and he looked under the table, shocked to see Sammy with his nose buried between his legs. John tried to push him away but it was useless and the dog kept trying to get to his underwear.

"Whoa, he's really digging in", John tried to joke but stopped immediately when the dog bit him.

"It's Sammy", Rachel whispered to Finn before getting up and running towards him, clearly embarrassed by what was going on.

John tried to get up from the chair, but Sammy jumped on him and knocked him to the floor, wanting at all costs his new favorite dish: boxer shorts with ground meat.

"Sammy, stop it! Stop it!" Emily shouted angrily, but the dog didn't listen to a word and began to bite her boyfriend even more. Finn and Rachel tried to tug Sammy's leash but in that moment John began to squeal and the children burst out laughing. Annabel, Chris and all the other kids tried to hide their laughter while nonchalantly drinking a glass of water, but Emily saw them and gave them an icy glare, regretting her choice. She shouldn't have accepted her parents' invitation, the other day.

After several minutes, Finn and Rachel finally managed to separate Sammy from John's backside and the actor immediately stood up and ran toward the door, anxious to leave the house and his girlfriend's family behind him.

He was almost near his car when suddenly a group of dogs from the neighborhood, who were also attracted by the smell of his underwear, ran towards him and tried to bite him.

John let out another scream of his before jumping into the car through the window, in too much of a hurry to open the door.

Meanwhile, Emily had already recovered all her stuff and was heading towards her boyfriend's car, followed by her siblings who were eager to explain everything.

"Emily, we didn't want you to go!", Alison whimpered while trying to stop her.

"Look, let's get something clear", Emily said, turning to her younger siblings. "Even though you guys live near me now, I have my own life. It's mine. Not ours", she explained firmly before directing her glance toward her boyfriend's car, surrounded by dozens of dogs.

"I love you, but my loyalty is to John now", she concluded, and without even saying goodbye to her parents, she quickly walked towards the car.

"Your neighbourly canines have ruined the LeBaron's paint job!", John cried irritated just as Emily opened the car door.

"I'm sure my family will pay to repaint it", Emily assured him as she fastened her seat belt. She really didn't want to hear about his complaints, but John was of a different opinion.

"Good, because I'm sure paying for your family", he said before starting the car, without noticing his girlfriend's confused expression.

"What's that supposed to mean?", she asked incredulously and John sighed before answering.

"I think you know."

* * *

"You soaked his underwear in meat", Finn said incredulously, walking up and down the living room and watching his children carefully, especially one of them.

"That is so wrong", he continued as he went near Elizabeth and Alison. "Funny, but wrong", he said then, looking at the other twins who were trying to hold back their laughter.

Finn positioned himself next to Rachel and looked at the row of children in front of him.

"Now, who was the mastermind in the meat-soaking plot against John?", he asked and had to wait about five seconds before Daniel and Noah came forward.

Finn raised an eyebrow. "You were the masterminds?", he asked doubtfully and the twins continued to look at him, straight-faced. Finn sighed, knowing they weren't the ones who created the plan.

"Step back, please", he said and Daniel and Noah nodded before getting back in line with their siblings. Rachel looked at them and smiled.

She appreciated the fact that they wanted to protect their sister, but unfortunately Sarah had to understand that playing pranks was not always the right solution, especially now that Emily was angry with them.

Although the two parents already knew who was the guilty one, Finn pretended to examine the other kids too. He walked over to Elizabeth and Alison and put a hand on their heads, making a sound similar to a "beep" with his mouth.

If it was just one "beep" then the child was innocent and Finn easily surpassed the twins, Simon and Benjamin before arriving on Sarah's head and emitting a series of "beeps", one after the other.

The eleven-year-old girl bit her lip nervously, knowing she had been discovered. Finn lowered himself to her height and looked into her eyes. "You have a dark gift, Sarah Hudson", he said before turning his attention to the other kids as well.

"I have to admit that the plan was really brilliant, sure, but I'm sorry to tell you that it's going to cost everyone a month's allowance", he concluded and the room was suddenly filled with the children's voices, who tried to protest, but Finn immediately silenced them when he asked: "You wanna make it two?"

The children sighed before returning to their seats and Finn nodded in satisfaction.

"Now, when your mother leaves tomorrow I'm gonna need everyone to pull their own weight", he warned them. Without Rachel it would have been a real challenge to take care of the house, his job and the children, but he was sure they could make it. If everyone worked together, of course.

"Now go upstairs and go to your rooms!", he shouted finally and the children quickly ran up the stairs without making other objections.

Finn waited a few minutes before turning towards his wife and expressing his astonishment. "Soaking his underwear in meat! How did they come up with that?" he asked incredulously.

"They are exactly like you, Finn", Rachel chuckled and her husband admitted that she was quite right.

Finn slumped onto the couch, exhausted, while Rachel tried to tidy up the room.

"Finn, are you sure you can handle it while I'm in New York?", she asked him for the umpteenth time.

Finn sighed. "Honey, everything's going to be okay. I can handle it, even without the better half of the tag team." He smiled and opened his arms, inviting her to sit on his lap.

Rachel gladly welcomed the invitation and took refuge into her husband's arms. "I'm just worried, I've never left the kids, Finn", she said after a few seconds of silence.

"Honey, it's three days", he reminded her and Rachel nodded, knowingly. "I know, I'm just... I'm gonna miss them", she said simply, wiping away a tear rolling down her cheek.

Finn kissed her tenderly on the hair before reassuring her.

"Those three days will pass soon, don't worry. And we'll call you every single day… you won't get rid of us, not even in New York", he joked and Rachel laughed with him, savoring that last moment with her husband before her imminent departure.

* * *

"Okay, I froze some dinners. Make sure they get to school on time. It's their first day, so you know how nervous they're going to be", Rachel reminded Finn, while he and the kids were putting the last bags in the taxi that would have taken her to the airport.

"And kids, don't worry, Mom can be back from New York in two hours if something happens, all right?" she reassured them while adjusting Elizabeth's headband which had fallen over her eyes.

"Okay, I think I hugged everybody but.. can I have one more hug?", she asked and the kids laughed before engulfing her in another big hug. "I love you all", she said with tears in her eyes before turning towards Finn and taking the bag he was holding for her.

"I love you", she said before giving him one last kiss and get into the taxi.

"I love you, too", Finn said through the window as the driver began to start the vehicle and all the children milled around the taxi repeating phrases like "We love you" and "Have a safe flight."

The car pulled away and Rachel turned back to take a last look at her family. She sighed sadly when she realized she already missed them.


	6. White Lies

**Happy 4th of July to my American readers! Here in Italy this date represents a normal day, but I hope you have a beautiful 4th of July with your family and friends :)) In this chapter ****Rachel is in New York, but there are a lot of moments between Finn and the kids! I just love "Daddy Finn", he's adorable haha :)**

**Anyway, thanks again for the reviews and for following the story! I hope you enjoy this chapter :) **

* * *

The first day of school had finally arrived, but the kids were not happy at all. They usually loved going to school, in Middletown, but now they were afraid of their new teachers and their new classmates. In Columbus lived many, many more people and the kids had been able to make friends only with Michael until that day, and only because they lived in the same neighborhood.

Finn got into the car and turned around to count the children before leaving. He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed that they were all sitting in their seats, except for Chris and Annabel who had used Chris's car to get to their new school.

"You'll see that everything will be fine and I'm sure you will make a lot of new friends," Finn assured his children while starting the car and trying to remember which roads to take to get to their school. Orientation was not his forte.

"What if there are bullies, Dad?" Elizabeth asked, biting her nails with anxiety. Rachel had tried to make her lose that habit since she had been five years old, but it had been useless.

Finn frowned, surprised. "If there are bullies you tell me immediately and your teacher and I will solve the issue, don't worry," he said as he looked in the rearview mirror and gave her an encouraging smile.

Then, Michael's birthday party, which would have taken place the following Monday, became the subject of conversation and all the kids were busy talking about which gifts to buy when Finn stopped the car in front of the Cranbrook Elementary School.

"Okay kids, hurry up or you'll be late," Finn warned them. He turned towards them and each one of the kids gave him a hug before getting out of the car.

"I love you!", he shouted before leaving to accompany Sarah and Thomas.

The five children turned to look at their new school. The building was much larger than the one in Middletown and there were lots of other children in the courtyard, all busy talking to each other or listening to music with huge headphones.

The children sighed and joined their hands before walking towards their new school. At least they could count on each other.

* * *

The new school was just as they had imagined: a nightmare.

The firsts to experience it were Chris and Annabel, soon after parking Chris's car in their high school's parking lot.

Some guys were sitting on the hood of a Volkswagen and kept staring at them while laughing and imitating animal sounds.

"What is that? Are you two from a farm?" A seventeen-year-old boy said and the two girls next to him laughed as they continued to observe Chris's Olds.

Chris snorted and decided to ignore them as he began walking towards the school entrance with Annabel.

"I guess he's the funniest guy in the herd," said his sister in a tone just loud enough to be heard by the guys behind them.

"Just ignore them," Chris sighed while shifting his shoulders to adjust his backpack.

Unfortunately, the two teenagers were not the only ones to feel out of place in their new school.

The same was happening to Simon who, while he was busy walking down the halls in search of his class, accidentally bumped against two boys who probably were a year older than him.

They wore basketball uniforms, backwards hats and had earphones in their ears.

"Watch where you're going, midget!" One of the boys shouted at him while the other took away his glasses and tossed them to the ground. Then they pushed him and quickly went away, still laughing at what they had done.

Simon immediately touched the floor in search of his glasses and sighed in relief when he found them and saw that they were intact.

He looked around in search of his siblings, but they had probably already found their classes.

It was better if he didn't say anything to his parents, he thought as he stood up from the ground. Maybe those two bullies had already forgotten about him and would have left him in peace.

He hoped it was true with all his heart.

* * *

"Oh Rachel, I missed you!" Julie exclaimed as soon as she walked into her friend's hotel room.

Rachel laughed happily and enveloped her in a big hug. Early in her career on Broadway, Rachel considered Julie only her manager, but later they had become great friends.

"Look at you, you did not have twelve kids!" Julie exclaimed in surprise as she walked away for a better look at the dress her friend was wearing. Despite all her pregnancies, Rachel was still quite thin and the dress hugged her body perfectly.

"Yes, I did," Rachel assured her and motioned for her friend to sit on the couch.

"We've got big plans for the book," Julie told her excitedly as she pulled the book out of her bag. Rachel looked at her with her mouth hanging open and went near her friend to take it, admiring the cover composed of the title and a picture of her and Finn with their twelve children.

"Isn't it great?" Julie asked.

Rachel looked at her with excitement in her eyes. "It's fantastic! I love it… I mean, look at this!" She pointed to the cover and pressed the book to her chest. Between those pages there was a description of her life and she could not believe that soon the whole world would have been able to read it.

"The company wants it in stores by Christmas," Julie said.

"Christmas?"

"Yes! Tomorrow the marketing people will bring you up to speed on the book tour." Rachel immediately stopped smiling and looked at her friend with a confused expression.

"A book tour?" She asked incredulously.

"Yes, we've got talk shows, book signings, personal appearances… And it's only going to take a couple of weeks!" Julie said excitedly, but Rachel did not share her happiness.

"A couple of weeks? Oh no, I can't be away from the kids that long."

Julie raised an eyebrow. "Well, if there's no book tour then… there's no book," she informed her and stared at her, waiting for her answer.

Rachel bit her lip nervously. "Two weeks?" She considered and Julie nodded, determined to change her mind.

"Rachel, you've been the primary care giver for twenty-two years. Can't Finn handle the kids for a while? You even left Broadway for them", she reminded her. Rachel sighed, thinking about what her friend had said.

Actually, Julie was right, but she missed Finn and their children so much. But then, what would have happened to her book? She had put so much effort in it and now everything was ready, she could not miss that opportunity.

Julie looked at her anxiously and Rachel gave the book back to her before answering. "I'll think about it. I need to talk with Finn and the kids first," she said and Julie nodded, understanding.

She gave Rachel one last hug before walking out of the room and leaving her alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Finn could not do it. It had been only a day since Rachel had left for New York, but the situation had turned out to be more difficult than he had thought.

Looking after eleven children was really a challenge and he could not wait for Wednesday to arrive because he couldn't do it alone and he had an absolute need of his wife.

Obviously, Rachel wasn't supposed to know anything. Finn had managed to get her to go to New York to make another dream of hers come trueand if he had told her that their house was upside down and the kids didn't listen to him at all, she would have definitely come back without giving a second thought to publishing her book.

No, it was better not to say anything. It was only two more days and he also had Emily who gave him a hand.

Fortunately, his eldest daughter had forgiven his siblings, but John, however, had had enough of them.

What a shame, Finn had thought ironically when Emily had told him.

"Finn, are you still there?" His colleague, Mark, asked him. Finn awoke from his thoughts and adjusted the phone between his cheek and shoulder. He was trying to cook dinner and create a scheme for his team at the same time.

"Uh yes, sorry Mark. I was saying that Decker and Rico are playing too loose at the corners. We need to pull them in," he said.

It that moment he heard a "beep" ringing in the kitchen and he turned to the window overlooking their backyard. "Sarah, dishwasher!" Finn called his daughter before checking on the pasta.

"Yes, I'll come by tomorrow, after I've dropped the kids off at school," he said to Mark before saying goodbye and ending the call. He quickly took some plates from the cupboard and laid them on the island in the middle of the kitchen.

"Dad, Daniel hit Lizzie with a dart and I assume he will be punished!" Alison exclaimed as she and her twin sister came into the kitchen.

Pater also came in with his skateboard and Finn stopped him before telling him to go get a Band-Aid for his sister. "Okay Lizzie, let me see," he said to his seven-year-old daughter as he took her in his arms and sat her on the island.

"Allie, honey, can you stir, please? You like to stir, right?" He asked his daughter while pointing to the pan full of sauce. Then he went near Elizabeth and brushed her blonde hair away from her forehead to see the wound.

"Okay, let's take a look and see if it's oka- OH, MY GOD," Finn exclaimed when he saw the blood coming out of the wound and Lizzie looked at him frightened.

"I'm just kidding baby, it's nothing," Finn assured her as he gave her a kiss on the forehead. He took a little piece of paper and pressed it on the wound, waiting for the Band-Aid. What was taking Peter so long?

"Um Dad, this goo's on fire," Alison pointed out as she turned towards him with a disgusted look.

"Oh no, no, no. It's fine, don't you worry. That's the way Daddy likes it," he assured her before taking Lizzie in his arms and going near the stove to turn it off.

Alison left the kitchen to go talk with Benjamin and Finn went hurriedly to take the plates he had left on the island, still with Lizzie in his arms. He was in a desperate need of help.

Maybe someone had heard his prayers because just then Emily entered the kitchen to greet his father. She must have arrived a few minutes ago and Finn sighed in relief.

"Hey Dad," Emily said, but she didn't even finish talking that Finn immediately gave her an assignment.

"Oh good, you're here, Em. Can you get me a Band-Aid?" he asked her. Emily rolled her eyes before exiting the kitchen and letting Sarah in, who positioned herself in front of her father.

"This is so unfair. None of the kids in this neighborhood do chores," she said indignantly and crossed her arms over her chest.

Finn leaned toward her, trying to hold Lizzie in his arms and not to drop the plates. "Well, we're not like any other family here," he pointed out.

"Right. So why do we live here?" Sarah asked, curious to know his answer, but her father narrowed his eyes and stared at her, exasperated. "Dishwasher. Now," he ordered before putting the plates on the island again. He could not bring them in the dining room with his daughter in his arms.

"Alison, can you get these plates and put them on the table, please?" He shouted before going to check on the sauce again.

Meanwhile Sarah had opened the dishwasher and was trying to dissipate the steam that had just invaded the kitchen. She frowned when she saw a strange object. "What the ...? Ben's athletic cup?" She asked as she took it with her hand, but the object was boiling and Sarah threw it away so as not to burn her fingers.

Ben's athletic cup went straight into the sauce that Finn was stirring and his father looked at her shocked. "Ew," he said as he pulled it out of the sauce. "Pasta de la crotch," he joked as he tried to put the object in the sink.

"Is that blood?"

Finn looked up and noticed that Noah had just walked into the kitchen and was observing the sauce-covered object with a terrified face.

Finn laughed. "Oh no, it's just Ben's-" He couldn't finish the sentence in time that Noah threw up on the kitchen floor and Lizzie and Finn immediately looked away, disgusted.

"Can someone come here and clean the floor?" Finn shouted as he gave a teaspoon of sugar to his five-year-old son. It was useful to remove the taste of vomit out of his mouth.

"You need help cleaning up, Dad?" Thomas offered his help as he entered the kitchen. The twelve-year-old boy did not notice his brother's vomit on the floor and accidentally slipped on it, falling and getting his shirt and pants dirty.

"I'm in puke!" He exclaimed in shock as he looked at his hands covered in vomit. He slowly lifted himself from the ground and saw her father's and sister's shocked expressions.

"Still need help cleaning up, Dad?" He asked. He put a hand on his stomach, starting to feel a strange taste in his throat.

"Uh no, don't worry buddy," Finn said, but Thomas did not listen to a single word because he had already started to vomit.

"Ew, disgusting," Finn exclaimed while Thomas quickly ran to his room to change his clothes.

"Where's the Band-Aid?" Finn shouted then, and went near the fridge to get a bottle of water.

"Daddy, it still hurts," Elizabeth complained and Finn sat her on the island, tenderly stroking her hair. "Oh, let me look, honey," he said worried, but fortunately in that moment Emily walked into the kitchen and handed him the Band-Aid he had been waiting for half an hour.

"Thank you, Grilled Cheesus!" Finn exclaimed, raising his arms to the sky, and Emily and Lizzie looked at him confused.

"Dad, Peter put a bucket on Alison's head and it stuck," Emily informed him as she took the cutlery and thirteen glasses out of the cupboard. "Oh and when they've a free moment, let my parents know that I got a job in an ad agency today," she said before leaving the kitchen and Finn sighed as he took Elizabeth in his arms again and prepared himself to follow his eldest daughter.

"Emily!" He called her for the third time when he arrived in the foyer where an electrician was finally adjusting their chandelier.

"Dad, a little help here," Alison asked, who was intent on walking around the room with a bucket on her head, but Finn was too busy following Emily to notice her and Alison bumped against the electrician's ladder. The poor man tried to hang on the chandelier while the ladder wobbled, but the chandelier was still not well attached to the ceiling and could not bear his weight, making the electrician fall on the floor with a huge thud.

Finn watched the scene in shock. Rachel would have flown off the handle.

"Are you all right?" He asked to the electrician. He would have helped him if he hadn't had Lizzie in his arms.

"You are in over your head, mister!" The man exclaimed as he tried to reach the front door even though he was limping slightly.

Finn sighed in exasperation. "I'm so sorry, it's just my wife is out of town," he tried to explain before approaching Alison who was banging her head against every wall of the room.

"Stay still, Allie," Finn reprimanded her and after a few minutes he was finally able to take the bucket off her head.

The little girl fixed her strawberry blonde hair with an irritated gesture. "Can I kill Peter now?" She exclaimed angry. Her brother had to pay for what he had done.

"No, you finish washing the car first!" Finn ordered her before walking away and placing Elizabeth on the steps of the staircase that led upstairs.

He opened the Band-Aid and quickly removed the piece of paper from her daughter's forehead. "Does that hurt? Okay, good," he said when he put the Band-Aid on the wound. "You can go, honey."

"Thank you, Daddy," Elizabeth said before racing up the stairs to look for Daniel.

"No playing darts!" Finn reminded her as he tried to found the wireless telephone that had begun ringing. The situation was definitely starting to get out of hand.

"Hello?" Finn said. He walked into the dining room to see if everything was in order and sighed in relief when he saw that nothing was out of place.

"Hey Finny, how's it going?" Rachel asked him. In that moment she was in her hotel room and had decided to give him the news before going out to dinner with Julie.

"Hi, babe! Um, everything's fine. I'm just making dinner," Finn said. It was not exactly a lie, effectively. He turned to the window and saw Benjamin who was rappelling from the roof.

Finn gesticulated with his hands to make him understand that he had to stop, but Benjamin was already climbing again. "How are you?" He asked after a few seconds and a ball hit him in the head.

Finn gave Simon an icy glare before focusing on his wife's answer.

"Good, I guess," Rachel said. "It's kinda weird having all this free time. Sure everything's all right?" She asked when she heard a scream.

"Everything's fine, Rach. Look, I can handle it," Finn assured her as he tried to separate Alison and Peter who were engaged in a fight for the bucket the nine-year-old boy had put on her head.

"I know, I'm just used to us tag-teaming to manage the mob," Rachel explained and prepared herself to give him the news. "Well, this might be a good time, then, to talk about me staying a few extra days," she said all in one breath.

She bit her lip, anxious to hear his reaction.

"What? A few extra days?" Finn asked and Rachel, on the other side of the phone, nodded, even though he could not see her.

"Fourteen, actually."

Finn widened his eyes, hoping he had misheard. "That's a lot of days, Rach, and a couple of key games," he tried to change her mind, but Rachel had already thought about it.

"I know, but I have a plan. We take it one day at a time and if you get overwhelmed or the kids stage a coup, I'm home, end of the trip," she promised him.

Daniel and Noah chose exactly that moment to chase Finn with spray cans and the father ran away, finding shelter in a closet so he could talk quietly with Rachel.

"Well… Sounds good," Finn lied as he sat on the floor on someone's jacket. Probably Peter's.

"Okay, thank you for doing this, Finn," Rachel thanked him. She missed him so much. "Can I talk with one of the kids?" She asked him later, excited to know what they were doing and how had been their first day of school.

"Oh, um," Finn tried looking for an excuse. He could not give her one of the kids or she would have discovered that in their house there was a war on.

"They're doing homework right now. It's that math trigography thing that we're not very good at… And it's the sweetest thing because they formed a little study group and they're helping each other. It's like a mini think-tank thing," Finn chuckled, feeling guilty for the lie he was saying. But he was doing it for her own good and that was the only thing that mattered. "And I just hate to break that up, you know?"

"Oh, I know, honey," Rachel replied, already imagining the scene. "Well, give everyone my love, and you call me right after dinner, okay?"

Finn smiled. "Okay, will do. I love you. "

"I love you, too. Bye. "

Finn hung up the phone, ready to face his children again. He could do it for another fourteen days. He just had to resist and arm himself with patience.

He owned it to Rachel.

* * *

"Two weeks will go by in no time, I promise," Finn said to Lizzie and Allie before exiting their room and closing the door.

The children had not taken the news well at all, but Finn was sure that those fourteen days would have passed quickly. He was thinking of creating a scheme, as he did with his football team, but probably it was not a good idea.

Finally all the kids were in their rooms and the only thing left to do was to give the news to Annabel. Finn walked to the door of her room and knocked a few times before opening it and looking inside.

"Hey, come in," Annabel said and Finn smiled before entering and sitting beside her on the bed. Annabel moved her homework on the bedside table and looked at him, waiting for him to speak.

"Look, your mom's not coming home for a couple of weeks," he revealed to her and Annabel made a strange expression before lowering her eyes on the quilt.

Finn raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Annabel sighed and raised her eyes again, staring at his father. "Look Dad, it makes me really happy that you and mom want to follow your dreams and that she's in New York now to publish her book, but Dad... This afternoon Ben was rappelling from the roof, Daniel was using Lizzie as a human dartboard and you employed Thomas as a vomit mop."

Finn sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation. All the things her daughter was saying were absolutely true.

"Things are getting pretty twisted round here," Annabel concluded and Finn nodded, understanding.

"I need to hire some help," he said suddenly as he looked at his daughter with a worried look. Rachel was in New York and he was alone with eleven children. Annabel and Chris were too busy with their new school to help him throughout the day and Emily had just found a job so Finn could not ask her to spend her free time with the children.

"As in a baby-sitter? That is so not happening," Annabel snorted. "Dad, just call Mom and tell her we need her back home," she said exasperated.

Finn shook his head stubbornly. "I can't do that right now, not with all the work she's done. It wouldn't be fair," he insisted. Annabel nodded, trying to find another solution.

"Then why don't you spend more time at home?" She asked, almost begging him with her eyes.

Finn sighed. It was absolutely impossible. "Honey, that's just not an option right now. I've got a big job, a job that I love," he tried to explain, but Annabel had already started to shake her head. She had been so foolish to even try to suggest such a thing.

"I guess I'm gonna have to call in some buck-up," Finn said eventually before getting up and kissing Annabel on the hair.

The teen sighed as she tried to focus on her math problem again. Those two weeks would have been very long.


End file.
